Kelly Clarkson threw her jacket, dropped to her knees, and still lost this singer to another 'Voice' coach

"Katie, you came in here and rocked this audience thank you so much. You know, you gave the thrill," John Legend gushed.
PUBLISHED APR 9, 2025
Kelly Clarkson and Katie Kadan on 'The Voice' 2021. (Cover Image Source: YouTube| The Voice)
Kelly Clarkson and Katie Kadan on 'The Voice' 2021. (Cover Image Source: YouTube| The Voice)

Katie Kadan took 'The Voice' season 17 blind auditions by storm with her electrifying rendition of Aretha Franklin’s 'Baby I Love You.' The soul singer earned the iconic four-chair turn from the coaches and ended up choosing John Legend as her mentor. However, it was Kelly Clarkson's excitement that seemed contagious during the performance; the 'Because of You' hitmaker clapped, jumped, tossed her jacket on the floor, and even went down on her knees as a sign of admirable worship. 



 

Clarkson was visibly upset that one of the coaches stole Kadan from her by pressing the buzzer. "Who did it? You did it, cowboy?" she blamed Blake Shelton before getting back to her seat. "Now, excuse me, Kelly, you're not a part of this conversation," Legend joked. Kadan disclosed during the introduction that, despite her keen interest in pursuing a career in music, her appearance never gave her the confidence she needed for a grand on-stage performance. "I've been doing it for about eight years, okay? Oh my God! I was afraid to perform; I was a chubby check living in a skinny girl's world, so I didn't feel too good about it, but now I'm okay." 

 Katie Kadan at Eureka's
Katie Kadan at Eureka's "Big Mawma" single release party at Heart Weho on November 19, 2022, in West Hollywood, California. (Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Rodin Eckenroth)

"Katie, you came in here and rocked this audience; thank you so much. You know, some singers come in here, and they're technically very good, but they don't give you any kind of thrill because there's no rock and roll energy, and you gave us all of that, every bit of rawness and the fire in your voice," Legend gushed. Gwen Stefani compared Kadan to rapper CeeLo, while Clarkson remarked that the Chicago-based singer sounded like her favorite artist, Brittney Howard. "I think that the most infectious part about you is that I was already 100% in when I turned around listening. I mean, I was like, Oh, okay! Flawless, that's what we need," Clarkson lauded. 



 

"And that's what Blake took from us," she added in jest. "I know, did you block me? I promise you, Blake, watch, I am going to take you down," she continued hilariously. The coaches then engaged in amusing repartee regarding Kadan's mentorship. Ultimately, the up-and-coming musician decided to practice with Legend's crew. Finally, the emerging artist chose Legend's team to hone her skills. Throughout the competition, Kadan wowed with her captivating performances, defeating Max Boyle in the Knockout Round and Destiny Rayne in the Battle Rounds, Entertainment Now reported. 



 

Kadan told 'The Jam TV Show' in 2019 that she was initially apprehensive about her musical journey: “I was afraid to do it; I didn’t know how to get my start [but] this is the only thing I’m really good at.” She also acknowledged that she had overcome her body-related inhibitions and her shyness after the age of thirty. “No one can tell me different anymore. Those haters can take a seat!" she said. After ending up in the third place on 'The Voice, ' Kadan released an album featuring original tracks like 'Take Me to the River' and 'Dancing on the Floor.' 


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Katie Kadan (@katiekadanofficial)


 

“How can I forget her?” Dennis Nuccio, Kadan's private piano teacher, told the Tribune. “When she came to me, she could already play; she played by ear mostly and improvised and hit the pocket really well. Some of those things you can’t learn with lessons,” Nuccio said while praising her student's success. 

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